11/09/2012 - Jon Manuell

Being on the move almost on a daily basis it is hard to imagine what the next day will bring. Today I awoke on sandy beach to a beautiful sunrise over the Sea of Cortez in the Bay on L.A.. This place is chocked full of culture, new beginnings, and adventure. It is a beautiful place that will be our home base between canyoneering and sea kayaking. The sounds of the crashing waves and the stiff winds are a warning and a reminder that this place as beautiful as it is needs to be respected. With this in mind, I arose from my sleeping bag ready for whatever was thrown my way. As the day passed I did a lot of thinking about how completely different this land is compared to the rest of our travels. The language barrier alone is a dramatic difficulty that makes me wish I payed more attention to my spanish classes, the currency makes me second guess each transaction I make, the lack of water here reminds me of how wasteful I am back in Illinois. I feel for the first time in all my travels as a stranger, zero control over my surrounding environmentally, and culturally both. In saying that I am much more aware of my actions knowing my instincts will guide me along my inner journey in creating a better sense of why I am here and how I can evolve into a better me. Being able to adapt is an integeral aspect of not just leadership but overall life and gaining knowledge. This place is an eye opening experience that I will not take for granted. I am truly happy for this adventure and am excited for the next several weeks to come. I will not truly grasp how this is a once in a life time opportunity until it is over, but in the mean time I will strive to take in every moment and experience I physically, mentally, and spiritually I can.